WORCESTER—Worcester Public Schools is turning to students to help decide what new sports could be added to middle schools in the coming years. A survey is set to launch this September.
A report submitted to the school committee’s Finance, Operations, and Governance Standing Committee (FOG) in June confirmed that 5th, 6th, and 7th grade students will be asked to indicate their interest in additional sports offerings. The feedback informs upcoming budget talks and helps determine what programs are most desired and what investments they might require. FOG has requested a full review of the survey results this fall.
The district also joins a new athletic league in 2025, which broadens competitive opportunities for middle schoolers.
Expanding middle school athletics has been a priority for the School Committee since early 2025, as the district continues to embrace the role of sports in students’ personal growth, teamwork, and sense of community.
Currently, Worcester middle schools offer flag football, volleyball, soccer, basketball, and field hockey. In January, the School Committee asked FOG to review a proposal to expand that list. On June 16, the committee received its most substantial update yet, as Worcester Public Schools Athletic Director David Shea confirmed plans to move forward with the student survey.
“We’re excited to have the opportunity to look at the data — then analyzing that data to see where we could possibly expand the middle school sports program,” Shea said.
The survey data will play a central role in shaping expansion plans, with an emphasis on equity across the district.
“What we would want to do is make sure whatever we’re doing for the addition of sports that we can do it across the city,” Shea added.
Shea also shared more good news: Worcester Public Schools will join the Central Massachusetts Athletic Conference in 2025. The move will connect Worcester middle and high schools with 34 other schools in the region and expand opportunities for competition — both for current programs and any new clubs added in the future.
“The Worcester Public Schools will be involved with what’s called the Central Massachusetts Athletic Conference,” Shea said, “and that opens it up to 34 different schools within Central Massachusetts on the middle school and high school level that would provide opportunities to schedule games.”
FOG members welcomed the update, with several noting that athletics also boost broader goals around afterschool enrichment — another ongoing focus of the full School Committee.
One concern raised involved transportation. Shea confirmed the issue would be reviewed as part of the survey analysis to assess potential needs or limitations. The findings are expected to help determine student interest and the feasibility of adding new programs as the district begins to plan for the Fiscal Year 2027 budget.
Jason Bleau, a seasoned reporter from Connecticut’s Quiet Corner, has over 11 years of news media experience. He has worked as a news anchor for WINY 1350 AM, contributed to Stonebridge Press publications, and covered racing as a Press Box coordinator at Thompson Speedway. Outside journalism, he is a movie enthusiast, freelance film reviewer, banker, and solo musician. He can be reached at bleau.jason@yahoo.com
